Safety device for moving-picture machines.



HoUsToNs. MonToN, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SAFETY DEVICE FOB, MOVING-PICTURE MACHINES.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented June 19, 1917.

Application filed August 2, 1916. SerialNc. 112.813.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HOUSTON S.M0RT0N, a citizen ofthe United States,-`residingat Del troit, in the county of Wayne and VState of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for `MovingPicture Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety devices for moving picture machines, and belongs to that class of contrivances for similar purposes, wherein a shutter orshield is caused' to' move into the path of the light from the lamp and between the lamp and the strip or film, when the picture strip or film is broken, or when the tension upon it is much slackened, or when by reason of derangementof the strip-feeding means or from any other accident the strip is drawn taut and stopped or much retarded in its movement. t

The object of'this. inventionlis the production of parts having special construction and arrangement with respect to each other, by which it is believed a particularly dependable safety accessory apparatus is provided, that is simple in structure and prompt and effective in operation.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the form and disposition of the parts vof this invention, and Figure 1 represents aside view of all the parts assembled. Fig. 2 is a side View, somewhat enlarged, of the strip-supporting roller and the pivoted hub or center, with various attached parts, and showing the circuit breaker controlling the electro-v magnetic shield-operating contrivances, and

the motorcircuit. In this figure the insu lating case containing the circuit breaker is shown in vertical section, and the figure. is partly diagrammatic, representing the electrical connections and showingthe front of the lamp with the shield raised. Fig. 3 is a vertical, cross-section of the insulating casingl, and shows the circuit breaker in detail. hroughout the description and drawings, the same letter is used to refer to the same part.

Upon a table A is placed the lamp B, controlled by the electric switch b. The lamp directs the light upon the strip C that passes from a container D to a receiving chamber E, through guiding devices eat the rear of the lens holder.

A suitable support F is 'erected upon the table, and a hub f is rotatively held thereon.

l On one side there is connected with the hub,

an insulating block (i, and an arm g is connected with the spindle of the hub or center. The insulating block (i carries a metallic roller H, termed in this description the contact member, and, the arm y is formed into afork 71 in which is rotatively carried the main roller or film wheel J. The strip or film C passes around the roller J, as shown in Figs. l and Q, and thence around another 'roller -The roller j is displaceable together with its bearing K. The bearing is located in a suitable slot K in the table A, and it is yieldingly held therein by means of the fiat spring u. best shown in Fig. Q.

In the circuit breaker, there are four contact fingers, L, M, l and m, and the contact member H affords a metallic connection between the fingers L and M, thus closing the electric circuit leading to the shield magnet, and, the member H also closes the circuit represented by the conductors N and n, that lead to the motor for running the film strip. The motor and connections are not shown, as they form no part of this invention.

From the fingers L and M the wires O and P lead by wayof the'batter Q, or other source of electric current, to the shield-sup porting velectro-Inaguet R. The armature r of .the magnet is attached to .the shield or shutter S, that is movable up and .down in grooves sA in the vertical posts a'standing upon the table A.

In the operation of .this invention, let it be assumed that the film strip C suddenly breaks. It is believed to be made clear from the drawings and the foregoing explanation that the roller J would fall, and the contact member would be moved upwardly free from the fingers of the circuit breaker. The ma net R would no longer support the shield which would fall and shut 0E the light from the strip thus preventing the strip from taking fire, and, at the same time, the motor circuit N, n would be interrupted bringing the machine to rest. In the usual manner, and as a matter of precaution, the circuit breaker is inclosed in an insulating box or casing T.

Let it be now supposed that by reason of some accident the strip should be held so that' it could notl be drawn freely about the roller J into the receivinfr chamber E. That condition would, as wilI be readily understood, exert a pull upon the roller J, overcoming the flat spring k, and up-setting the bea-ring K thereby drawing the roller 7' out from beneath the roller J, which would drop with the result already explained. In

either case the action is very prompt and.

V- a film, a shutter movable between the lamp allowingV the same to fall.

and film, a rollerv supported by the film, means actuated by the falling of the said rollerl forf'operating the shutter, a guide roller arranged below the said iilm-sulpported roller,`the said film passing under the said film-supported rollery and around Vthe'sai'd guide roller, and a. displaceable bearingV for' the guide roller whereby excessive strain upon the vl'm'draws the' guide roller from beneath the film-supported roller 2; In afsafety device for moving picture machines, the combination .with a lamp, of a ii1m,a shutter .movable between the lamp Y and film, a roller supported by the film, an

electric switch operated by the falling of the roller, electro-magnetic means controlled by the said switch for operating the said shutter, a guide roller arranged below the said iilm-supported roller, the said ilm passing under the saidiilmsupported roller and around the said guide roller, and.- a displaceable bearing for' the guide roller whereby excessive strain upon the lm 'draws the guide lroller from beneath the said {ilmsupported roller and allows the same to fall.

3. In a safety device for moving picture machines, the combination with a lamp, of a film, a shutter movable between the lamp and film, a roller supported by the film, means actuated by thefalling of the said roller for operating the shutter, a guide roller arranged below the said film-supported roller, the said iilm passing under the said film-supported roller and around `the said guide roller, a support, a slot in the said support, a bearing for the guide roller removably seated in the said slot, and a spring acting upon the said bearing for holding the same yieldingly inthe said slot `whereby an excessive strain upon the film draws the bearing from the slot and the guide roller from beneath the film-supported roller allowing the same to fall;

In testimony whereof I ax my signature. I-IIISTON S. MOR-TON. 

